Geshe Lhundub Sopa: Carrying Teachings from Tibet

How do you make history?

When Geshe Lhundub Sopa was growing up in Tibet, he dreamed of becoming a Buddhist monk. With support from his family and teachers, he achieved his goal, but invading Chinese troops forced him and other monks to leave their home. He came to the University of Wisconsin–Madison to teach Tibetan language and Buddhism. He went on to found the Deer Park Buddhist Center, which helps people learn and connect around the teachings of the Buddha.

Meet Geshe Lhundub Sopa

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Questions to Consider

When Geshe Sopa was studying at the monastery he once ran away. Why? Was there a time you felt pressure to do well at something, but found it very difficult?

At first, Geshe Sopa was unsure when the Dalai Lama asked him to go all the way to the United States. Think of a time when you were asked to try something totally new. How did you feel? Why?

Geshe Sopa started the Deer Park Buddhist Center to bring people together. Where do you gather with others to learn something important?

Peek Into the Past

Geshe Lhundub Sopa

A portrait of Geshe Lhundub Sopa, taken in 1986.

Image courtesy Kalleen Mortensen.

A black and white photograph showing four monks dressed in robes, standing outside of a house.

Geshe Sopa and Monks

Geshe Sopa and young monks at the Mongolian Buddhist monastery in NJ.

Image courtesy Deer Park Buddhist Center.

A photograph of a large set of buildings on a mountain. The lower walls are white and the upper walls are maroon. In the distance are more mountains.

Potala Palace

The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. This was the winter palace for the Dalai Lama before he fled Tibet in 1959.

Photo by Pavel Špindler, CC BY 3.0.

A black and white photograph of Geshe Sopa in his monastic robes standing by a desk. A chalkboard is visible behind him.

Geshe Sopa Teaching

Professor Geshe Lhundub Sopa in the classroom at the UW-Madison Buddhist Studies Department in 1984.

Image courtesy Kalleen Mortensen.

A color photograph of Geshe Sopa and the Dalai Lama walking together. They are both wearing maroon monastic robes. Behind them are trees with yellow and green leaves.

The Dalai Lama Returns

The Dalai Lama and Geshe Lhundub Sopa at the Deer Park Buddhist Center in 1989.

Image courtesy Kalleen Mortensen.

A color photograph of a group of people seated and looking toward a large, brightly decorated pavilion. Near the center of the image a young monk in maroon robes walks by holding a pitcher of tea.

Kalachakra Ceremony

A photograph from the crowd during the Kalachakra Empowerment Ceremony at the Deer Park Buddhist Center in 1981.

Image courtesy Deer Park Buddhist Center.

A color photograph of a Buddhist stupa: there is a sand-colored square stone base, on top of which is a white and gold structure that gets narrow towards the top. Strands of multicolored prayer flags are attached to the top of the structure.

Deer Park Stupa

The Deer Park Stupa, or shrine, dedicated by the Dalai Lama in 1989.

Image courtesy Kalleen Mortensen.

A color photograph of a group of monks and nuns. They are seated and standing outside in front of a white and gold shrine. The monks all wear maroon and yellow robes. Geshe Sopa is seated in the center of the group.

Geshe Sopa with Monks and Nuns

Geshe Lhundub Sopa with other monks and nuns at the Deer Park Buddhist Center.

Image courtesy Kalleen Mortensen.

A color photograph of a large Buddhist temple. The temple is made of sand-colored stones and accented with maroon, bright red, and gold. There are large gold ornamental sculptures on the roof.

Deer Park Temple

The main Deer Park Buddhist Center temple, which was opened in 2007.

Photo by David Boffa for PBS Wisconsin.

A color photograph of the interior of a Buddhist temple. The walls are yellow with decorative tapestries hanging up high. At the far end is a bright blue altar wall with a large gold statue of the Buddha and other gold decorations. Maroon mats are arranged in rows for seating on the floor.

Deer Park Temple Interior

The interior of the Deer Park Buddhist Center Temple is decorated in the traditional Tibetan style.

Photo by David Boffa for PBS Wisconsin.

A color photograph of a Buddhist text. It is a stack of long, narrow sheets of paper, on wihch are printed Tibetan writings in the Tibetan script. The text sits on a yellow cloth.

Religious Book

A traditional Tibetan religious book, which is made of front and back covers and many sheets of paper that aren’t attached.

Photo by David Boffa for PBS Wisconsin.

A color photograph of Geshe Lhundub Sopa as an older man. He is seated and smiling. He wears his monastic robes. In front of him is an object wrapped in yellow fabric.

Geshe Sopa

A photo of Geshe Lhundub Sopa taken in 2012.

Image courtesy Deer Park Buddhist Center.

Read On

Get the full story with this biography book. Audio files are available on each page if you’d like to listen along!

Project Credits

Producer
David Boffa

Coordinating Producer
Mia Forslund

Illustration
Tenzin Sopa

Animation
Ian Glodich

Animation Voice Over
Tenzin Dhondup

Voice Over Recording
Suzanne Pinney

Animation Sound
Dhondup Tsagong
Phunsok Tsawog
The Deer Park Buddhist Center Monks
Kerman Eckes

Production Artist
Amanda Roslansky

Animation Director
Philip Ashby
Rodney Lambright II

English Audiobook Narration
Tenzin Dhondup

Tibetan Audiobook Narration
Jampa Khedup

Audiobook Editing
Kerman Eckes

Captioning
Catie Pfeifer
Vicki Way Kipp

Translation Services
Jampa Khedup
Yangbum Gyal and University of Wisconsin–Madison Cultural Linguistic Services

Educator Support Materials
Mia Forslund
David Boffa

Web Design
Charles Barrows

Web Development
John Vieth
Tim Schneider

Graphic and Motion Design
Charles Barrows
Ian Glodich

Additional Production Support
Patrick Yew
Dhondup Tsagong

Executive Producer
Megan Monday

Chief Curiosity Officer
Alyssa Tsagong

Director of Television
Jon Miskowski

Special Thanks
Deer Park Buddhist Center
Wisconsin Tibetan Association
Kalleen Mortensen
Paul Donnelly
Khamlung Rinpoche
PBS SoCal

Educator Cohort

Heather Bluedorn
Red Creek Elementary
Black River Falls, WI

Toni Heinowski
Muskego-Norway School District
Muskego, WI

Kerri Lintl
Merrimac Community School
Merrimac, WI

Jodi Mallak
Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District
Wittenberg-Birnamwood, WI

Darcy Maxwell
Summit Environmental Elementary
La Crosse, WI

Katherine Seibel
Madison Elementary School
Marshfield, WI

Karli Wagner
Cherokee Heights Middle School
Madison, WI

Christine Wautlet
Susie C. Altmayer Elementary
De Pere, WI

Funding provided by

Timothy William Trout Education Fund
a gift of Monroe and Sandra Trout

Focus Fund for Education

Friends of PBS Wisconsin